MONUSCO Mandate

Unanimously adopting resolution 1925 (2010) under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, the Security Council decided that MONUSCO would be deployed until 30 June 2011, authorizing it to concentrate its military forces in eastern DRC while keeping a reserve force capable of redeploying rapidly elsewhere.

The Council decided that MONUSCO would comprise, in addition to the appropriate civilian, judiciary and correction components, a maximum of 19,815 military personnel, 760 military observers, 391 police personnel and 1,050 members of formed police units. Future reconfigurations of MONUSCO would be determined as the situation evolved on the ground, including: the completion of ongoing military operations in North and South Kivu as well as Orientale provinces; improved Government capacity to protect the population effectively; and the consolidation of State authority throughout the territory.

Emphasizing that the protection of civilians must be given priority, the Council authorized MONUSCO to use all necessary means to carry out its protection mandate, including the effective protection of civilians, humanitarian personnel and human rights defenders under imminent threat of physical violence, as well as the protection of United Nations personnel, facilities, installations and equipment. The Mission would also support Government efforts to fight impunity and ensure the protection of civilians from violations of international human rights and humanitarian law, including all forms of sexual and gender-based violence.

In the area of stabilization and peace consolidation in the DRC, MONUC would, among other things, assist the Government, along with international and bilateral partners, in strengthening its military capacity, including military justice and military police; support the reform of the police; develop and implement a multi-year joint United Nations justice support programme in order to develop the criminal justice chain, the police, the judiciary and prisons in conflict-affected areas and a strategic programmatic support at the central level in Kinshasa; support the Congolese Government in consolidating State authority in the territory freed from armed groups.

The Council further mandated MONUSCO to monitor implementation of the arms embargo imposed under resolution 1896 (2009), and to seize or collect any arms or related materiel whose presence in the country was in violation of the ban.

The Council also mandated MONUSCO to provide technical and logistical support for the organization of national and local elections, upon explicit request from the Congolese authorities and within the limits of its capacities and resources.

For more on the mandate of MONUSCO, see Security Council resolution 1925 (2010).